Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The key question: Did the British really employ magicians and practical
jokers?
Your task
Imagine that you have met someone who simply does not believe that the British
used deception and bluff tactics in WW2. Your task is to choose two examples
that you think will convince this person and then present them with the
evidence.
You could do this as a presentation or a written report. Use the report sheet
to help.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/
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WESTERN EUROPE 1939-1945: DECEPTION & BLUFF
The actual image shown here is taken from an envelope that was posted in
Germany and arrived in Switzerland late in 1943.
Heinrich Himmler was one of the most powerful Nazis. He controlled the SS.
This huge organisation was almost a state inside the German state. It had its
own armed forces and factories. It controlled the police and the Gestapo
(secret police) and the concentration camps for Jews and other enemies of the
Nazis. The SS certainly could have arranged to have stamps printed if Himmler
had been plotting to overthrow Hitler. The British were hoping to cause doubt
and suspicion between the leading Nazis.
Hitler actually made a lot of money out the use of his portrait on stamps. He
charged the German post office a royalty for using his image, even though they
had to! As a result another head appearing on stamps would have caused a lot
of talk.
1. What kind of images do you see on stamps in Britain today, and in other
countries?
2. Imagine the Queen’s head was replaced on stamps by another image (e.g. the
Prime Minister). Do you think this would cause controversy in Britain
today?
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WESTERN EUROPE 1939-1945: DECEPTION & BLUFF
3. Do you think the Himmler stamp would cause more controversy in Germany in
1943-44?
4. Do you think this source can help you to convince your friend that the
British used deception tactics in WW2?
Extract a
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WESTERN EUROPE 1939-1945: DECEPTION & BLUFF
Extract b
The writer wanted the Colonel to ask any prisoners he was holding if they
remembered the issuing of the Himmler stamps (see the opening source to this
investigation) and what impact it had.
Heinrich Himmler was one of the most powerful Nazis. He controlled the SS.
This huge organisation was almost a state inside the German state. It had its
own armed forces and factories. It controlled the police and the Gestapo
(secret police) and the concentration camps for Jews and other enemies of the
Nazis. The SS certainly could have arranged to have stamps printed if Himmler
had been plotting to overthrow Hitler. The British were hoping to cause doubt
and suspicion between the leading Nazis.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/
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WESTERN EUROPE 1939-1945: DECEPTION & BLUFF
The fact that the letter writer wanted this information suggests that he did
not know what kind of impact the fake stamps had on the Nazi leadership.
1. Why did the letter writer believe his project had been a great success?
2. What impact do you think this stamp and the articles about it might have
had?
3. Can we tell from this source whether the stamps affected the Nazi
commanders?
4. Do you think this source can help you to convince your friend that the
British used deception tactics in WW2?
You could do this as a presentation or a written report. Use the report sheet
to help.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/
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WESTERN EUROPE 1939-1945: DECEPTION & BLUFF
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WESTERN EUROPE 1939-1945: DECEPTION & BLUFF
Experiments were carried out to use coal dust to disguise the outline of the
coast and other inland waterways and rivers, thus making it difficult for
German bombers to attack ports, docks and estuaries. The film of coal dust
would cut out any reflection from the water and make it less visible.
The Battle of the Atlantic however, continued at this time. The Royal Navy,
along with other Allied navies had the task of defending from German surface
and U boat attack, merchant ships carrying essential food and supplies.
This experiment shows that the government was interested in the use of
camouflage and was prepared to consider all sorts of ideas!
How does this source help us to understand why D-Day was successful?
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WESTERN EUROPE 1939-1945: DECEPTION & BLUFF
The Admiralty was the department of government that looked after the navy.
protect Britain’s vital supply convoys as they crossed the Atlantic from North
America. The biggest threats to naval ships and merchant ships came from
aircraft and submarines firing torpedoes.
The Royal Navy was always interested in new ideas. In December 1941 the navy
received a devastating blow as they lost two battleships to torpedoes fired by
Japanese aircraft. The other key danger to naval ships was torpedo attack by
submarine. Torpedoes were expensive and valuable, so enemies would usually
only fire them if they were sure about their target. Anything that would give
doubt to an attacker was potentially useful.
Scientists also played their role in military research. One scientist at the
Admiralty laboratory was Francis Crick. He went on to become one of the
discoverers of DNA.
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Deceptions like this one were tried out quite early in the war. For example,
‘concrete’ forts were actually made of plywood and canvas. They were used on a
large scale in the campaigns against German and Italian troops in North
Africa. As well as tanks made to look like trucks, the army made trucks to
look like tanks! This was useful in convincing the Germans that the British
were massing tanks in one area for an attack when they were actually planning
to attack somewhere else. Deception was used on a very large scale just before
the D-Day landings. Here the allies used radar, inflatable tanks, trucks and
even aircraft to deceive enemy aircraft.
The original idea for some of the illusions came from people in the
entertainment industry, especially stage magicians.
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